SD40-2 First Shots

Hey all,

Here's a shot of some of the chassis and truck components fresh out of the molds. In the back is the GP35/9 chassis for size comparison. Should have a flock of running units dashing around the track any time now! )

Cheers

Joe
MTL

 

Looks like the couplers might be body mounted since the trucks don't have coupler pockets??? I like it. Z is growing up

 

Maybe they are using something like newer Atlas/Kato N scale diesels? With the fill pilot and swiveling coupler.

 

I second that! Will any be out before Christmas? If so I know what I'm asking for, especially if they are undecorated or CSX.

 

OK Joe and where is the Shell?

 

SD40-2

Exact price is not known yet, but I suspect they will be in the same range as the GP35/9. We were able to utilize a lot of the components from the existing production to shave the overall cost to produce. As we get a bit closer to production I can let everyone know general pricing. These won't be ready by Christmas, but not long there after.

Joe
MTL

 

This is designed to work on the 195mm and bigger. Even though the coupler is body mounted, you get rotation in the Draft Gear Box. Coupled with the truck mounted couplers on the Freight Cars, things should work as advertized.

Cheers

Joe
MTl

 

yup...body mounts. I wanted to include a pair of Snow Plows and there was no way we could do truck mounts with them. Right now it is designed with two plows, one for each side, or one for the SD and one for a my "little" friend ) (gp35)

 

:eh-wink:OOooooo Boy !!! More money to spend

When can we expect the plows for the GP's to be released? Going to fit real nice on the lead loco of the consists

Show dates:
Sept 29-30
Nov 10-11
Nov 24-45
Dec 1-2
Dec 29-30

Lots of places to show them off.

 

Come on Joe,
a couple of hours overtime and we get the first roadname right before Christmas!

Sorry, I'm only kidding. You guys are doing such a great job and releasing so many new items, the "big brother" in Germany (Marklin) should take this as a benchmark.

Keyword roadnames: already decided which are the first?

 

thanks for the pictures, joe, this is really great!
you said "share components", which i take to mean (looking at the similarity in the mechanism's design) that the SD trucks could possibly run in the chasses of the GP35/9s. if this is the case, it would allow for quite a bit of diversity in future product: SD35s, SD9s, SD45, etc. all from swapping components to allow for various prototype locomotives lengths and truck center spacing.

from the pictures it appears (and properly so) that the gear towers on the SD trucks are between the 1st and 2nd axles (like on the B trucks of the GPs) with the third axle extended out. this is how they'd have to be made to fit under the extended porches of the SD40-2s.

so this is all good news! it gives room to us who love to kitbash to convert current stock into new and different (i.e. as yet unavailable) locomotive models; and at the same time provides MTL with chassis and components for their own future developement.

what a win/win! thanks joe (and steve?) for designing and developing a power unit with so much flexibility and potential.

let the games begin ... (uh ... again).
dave f.

 

Is this new chassis going to be able to use the same DZ123MO decoder as the GP-35? (It looks to be the same circuit board on the two chassis even though they are oriented differently.) It would sure be convenient if it did.

 

as i was reading these responses, i got an idea: if the SD (three axle "C" type) trucks could be put on the GP mechanism, would there be any application for using GP (or "B" - two axle) trucks on the new SD mechanism? what "B" truck equipped locomotives are as long in the body as that? answer: GE locomotives!

with a little invention a person must might craft and attach a reasonable fascimile of GE style "B" sideframes over the MTL trucks and thus have a mechanism feasible enough to make a GE loco, like U30B or something? Hhmmmmmnnn.
dave f.

 

Nice! I love to see them equipped with snow plows! Will the snow plow have to be modified to fit the geep or will it even be a snap-in part?

Joe, earlier you mentioned the sd40-2 will come in CP colors. is this still on the to-do-list? I'm looking forward to this!!
The more different roadnames - the more I gonna buy :w20z6q:

daniel

 

A SD40-2 mech is way too long for a GE four axle.

 

Tim,

Yes, same DZ123M0 decoder for all three locos.
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